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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-05-20, Page 41 n mem +44( CCNA StUf SISSON A WE OD 1974 . •Fr Share the wealth Bloom where you're planted ie' • 'feD impti Spy stoup- ,/ Fri 111•LSROWSreil•- Uulte 4 \‘' \\\\ 14111131110( With the government of Mr. Trudeau already being criticized for alleged favoritism in the awarding of airport con- tracts to Quebec interests, it seems like an ill-timed move for the federal government to be recommending a "Post Olympic Lottery" to help the government of Quebec and more specifically. Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau bail themselves out of a monstrous deficit situation created by the elaborate financing of the Montreal summer games. Granted the games are a magnetic draw for tourist dollars and a prestigious event for any country to host, but there are limits. From all the reports that we have been hearing about extra frills, additional facilities, and more and more millions of dollars being poured into the project every week, we were hoping that someone would finally come to their senses and draw the line somewhere. Not too long ago Mr. Trudeau told both Bourassa and Drapeau that the federal government was not about to set a prece- dent by granting additional funds to a provincial and municipal concern, That made sense. The province of Quebec and the city of Montreal stand to gain the most from the games and they have had almost total say as to how much was to be spent and what was to be built. Donating ad- ditional federal money would only generate further irresponsible fiscal actions. Now we discover that the federal government has found a way to get around setting the dangerous precedent of ar- "No wonder we're always short of money — you keep squander clothing and shelter!" bitrarily awarding federal aid to a province or municipality when it gets into financial difficulty. It's a simple solution. The government merely extends its Olympic Lottery to cover the deficit spending of the province of Quebec, once the games and the rationale for the Olympic Lottery are over and done with. When the Olympic Lottery was es- tablished, the federal government assured the other provinces that once the Olympics were over and if the lottery continued, all provinces would benefit equally. Now they are told that they will have to wait until Quebec has been helped out of its deficit. Although we would rather see that deficit decreased through a lottery rather than through direct federal aid from our tax dollars, we feel that the other provinces are being taken, The lottery generates a very significant amount of money which could be used to improve various provincial programs, especially in the tight economic situation of the present. We call upon the federal government to do one of two things. Either drop the Post Olympic Lottery entirely and let Quebec figure its own way out of the mess that it created, or more realistically, increase the current share of revenue that 9ie other provinces receive from the lottery until it becomes a true inter-provincial lottery, If neither of these solutions are agreeable, then we ask Mr. Trudeau to name the next Canadian lottery the South Huron Recreation Centre Lottery. It would be the only fair thing to do. Higher fuel prices Recently, I heard about a church that has a large blue banner hanging up front with a lovely bright tulip painted on it and five words 'Bloom Where You are Planted.' There's a challenge most of us need. Few of us are ever going to go to a far eff country on some outstanding missionary work, still fewer will move into a laboratory to discover a remarkable cure for some dreaded disease. And fewer yet will write a stirring hymn of praise that will resound in the hearts of people down through the ages, But all of us can try to bloom where we are planted. It's not always easy, though. Right now, as I write this, I see my poor rose plants shivering in the cold wondering why this northern blast is bearing down on them, During that beautiful Easter weekend, they, like many of us, were lulled into believing summer had come with all its sunshine and warmth. A week later, they were coated with snow and still later, they were standing in four inches of water. Earlier we had hurt them terribly by drastically pruning them and digging and mulching around their roots. However, warmer days are coming and probably just when they're feeling fit and secure we'll spray them for aphids and they'll droop again for a few days. But they will over come, as the song says, and after we've fed them some special rose food they'll begin to bloom and oh, what a sight they'll be. People are like The roses. They experience setbacks, disap- pointments, and troubles. Some may find it too difficult, become cynical and bitter and wither away. Others will manage a few pale blooms. Braver ones will weather whatever the cir- cumstances triumphantly, bloom profusely and make the place where they are fragrant and lovely. I've met such a person in recent weeks in a hospital room. A long time victim of multiple sclerosis, this lady no longer has the use of her legs so gets around in a wheel chair. She also suffers with arthritis and has undergone several operations. Besides that, her husband died three years ago after a lengthy illness and she has had to deal with many other weighty problems as well. Her experiences would be enough to send a weaker person into despair butnotIna. Sitting in her hospital bed she gives encouraging and cheerful advice to her children, grandchildren and friends. She takes an avid interest in politics and keeps in touch with everything that is currently happening. Last week she sold dozens of carnations from her bed in support of the MS fund. Her room is where the nurses gather during quiet periods for a joke or a friendly bit of chit-chat. Her blue eyes light up with a smile for every visitor, Ina is a living example of the slogan, 'Bloom Where You Are Planted'. .regardless of the circumstances. Would that more of us could follow her lead. Reverence for life By KIT SCHILLER V. who were taking a survey to see if there was any potential for a car washing service in the neigh- borhood. We're happy to report that there seems to be a demand for this type of work and that they do a really excellent job. My car was probably the dirtiest one on the street but it was spotless in a few minutes after the boys tackled it. Not only is the car thoroughly cleaned on the outside but the boys have a vacuum cleaner to get the dirt and dust from the inside as well. The boys tell me they operate the business on a partnership basis, splitting everything equally. Because of my dual role as being advertising manager of this newspaper as well as the editor I tried to tell the boys that they could expand their business with a good advertising cam- paign but they told me they already had all the business they could handle. However, I still think they deserve a little free advertising and a little credit for their initiative to get out and do something worthwhile. The boys are Steve MacDonald and Arndt and Frank Vermaeten. Dart fellowship This weekend Barb and I had the opportunity of attending the annual banquet and dance for the Exeter Legion Dart League. I can honestly say that I've never seen so many "darters" in one place in my life. The season has ended and this was the oc- casion for the exceptional players and teams to receive recognition for their efforts during the year. Tile purpose of the league obviously is for fellowship and recreationrather than competition although I'm told there are some pretty good players in the group. One of the newer members of the league made a "bullseye" comment when he paid tribute to the local Legion for their en- thusiasm in operating the league. He said he had belonged to many different branches but had never seen any that could equal the ocal group. From the fun and fellowship displayed Saturday it would be very difficult for anyone to disagree with his statement. Last week this newspaper had a couple of letters to the editor disagreeing with comments expressed on our editorial page and a few people have mentioned that it must-be embarrassingio print these letters when they take an opposing stand to something that we have published. This writer disagrees. Editorials that appear in the T-A and nearly all other newspapers reflect the opinion of the writer based on the information available at the time of writing. If someone disagrees or brings additional facts to light it is only fair that they have the same opportunity to express their opinions. A publisher I worked for about 10 years ago told me something I'll never forget regarding letters to the editor. He said it's a good thing when you get letters taking the opposite view to something you have printed because it means people are reading the paper and they believe strongly enough in the power of the press to want to have their opinions published. In fact, the number of letters received by a newspaper can be used as a yardstick in measuring the readership and acceptance of a paper in the community. At the T-A we have received quite a few letters to the editor but more are always welcomed. time we are being pressed to find more domestic petroleum resources, an effort which is becoming increasingly more ex- pensive as they become scarcer and more difficult to exploit. It only makes economic sense that the price for increasingly scarce resources should rise. Particularly since the demand for oil products seems to be holding steady if not increasing. Further, Canada's depressed oil prices tend to discourage exploration for new resources. If prices remain artificially depressed as they are presently, and if western provincial governments continue to insist on keeping their fingers in the financial cookie jar through royalties and the such, the international oil companies which are most active developing new Canadian energy resources will eventually be persuaded to take their technology and money elsewhere, leaving Canadians either totally dependent on foreign oil or broke from financing government efforts to replace them. We must face the fact that energy, like many other things, is not cheap anymore, and that prices at least close to the world level are vital if we are to remain at least partially reliant on domestic resources. If we are truly concerned about high gasoline prices, perhaps we should be look- ing more closely at that part of them com- prised by government taxes. Take the 19 cents-a-gallon provincial tax in Ontario, for example. It would seem reasonable that, if the Ontario Government is concerned about increased petroleum costs to the con- sumer, as Premier Davis has indicated, it should take the first step to reverse the trend by reducing its tax on gasoline. Such a move certainly would not hinder Cana- dian energy production, and might force the province to cut its own expenditures to balance the resulting loss in tax revenue, which would not be all that bad a thing either. It appears that Canadians are going to have to pay even higher prices for their gasoline than they pay presently. Though federal-provincial talks on the setting of a new price for oil failed last week, Prime Minister Trudeau is still attempting to arrange a negotiated agreement between Ottawa and the provinces, and, failing that, will arbitrarily set a new higher price on Canadian Oil. It is being speculated that such a price raise could raise gasoline prices anywhere from four to six cents a gallon. This would be a rise of between $1.00 and $1.35 a barrel of oil. Present price is $8 a barrel. The western Canadian provinces are, naturally, supporting the move towards a higher price. Alberta Prernier Peter Lougheed would prefer a rise of $2 a barrel, With a view towards eventually reaching world levels, which run about $11.50 a barrel. The eastern provinces, specifically Ontario, are against the rise. Premier Davis has said over and over he is opposed to a price rise of that magnitude at the pre- sent time, and has instead suggested an alternative blended oil price plan, a sugges- tion apparently rejected by Ottawa at last week's conference. What makes it tough to come to a negotiated agreement is that it is an argu- ment between producer and consumer. Alberta and other western provinces, the oil producers, dislike the idea of selling their oil below general world oil prices. On- tario and other eastern provinces don't think they should have to pay world prices for oil which is domestically produced. Eastern consumers should get a break when purchasing gasoline, they say. The Prime Minister is pushing for a compromise, but the fact he is aiming at an increase oft over $1.00 a barrel indicates he is siding with the western provinces on the issue. And rightly so. Canadian oil prices are currently well below the world price level. At the same Strathroy Age Dispatch Could you write a pungent, telling essay on The Human Spirit? No? Well, that's what my senior students tell me, too. But I know they are wrong, and I think you are, wrong also. I'll bet you could write a dandy, especially if you have lived a lot. I gave my students instructions 40 Years Ago Mr. & Mrs. Percy McFalls left by auto Monday for their new home at De Bolt, Alberta. At the Exeter Council meeting on Monday evening a by-law was passed confirming the purchase by the public Utilities Com- mission of five acres of land from Mr. Garnet Frayne situated on the north bank of the Ausable. The property has several springs of water and this water will be piped to a reservoir to be used as a domestic water supply for the town. Chas. Slater was appointed D.D.G.M. of the Huron District I.O.O.F. Monday evening. A resolution was unanimously passed in favour of a by-law for the erection of a two storey- addition across the rear of the present building. for an essay, and most of them went into a state of mild shock. They shouldn't have. They are dealing with the human spirit, their own and others, every minute of their young lives. However, students, like most of u'-, prefer things to be spelled out. But how can you spell out the human spirit? • Times Established 1873 The big white signs along Ontario's highways give this warning to motorists — "Fifty dollar fine for throwing trash on highway property" — and yet at least once a week you can be driving behind a car on the way into Exeter and see litterbugs in action. Our town is only one of many on the receiving end of refuse from car windows, thrown by people who know better, but who do not realize they are doing anything wrong. It is a law that is not enforced by police very often and it shouldn't need to be at all. Most drivers have enough common sense that they do not need to be told to keep their garbage off the roadsides. Drivers who throw refuse from their automobiles nearly all have something in common with each other. They look around cautiously to see if anyone is 'looking, quickly toss whatever they want to get rid of and drive on trying to look innocent. Saturday afternoon I counted three paper bags and two bottles, go flying from a car window near the entrance to town. Luckily the bottles landed on the grass and didn't break. Some innocent person could have received a nasty cut as a result of this driver trying to save a few moments of his valuable time. Both town workers and Department of Highways em- ployees are paid with taxpayers' money and yet many taxpayers are chronic litterbugs. Why should anyone want to contribute to increasing his own tax bill? It just takes a few seconds to stop the car and put garbage in its proper place. Should be more Not all drivers are litterbugs, One man who was driving through Exeter recently could be compared with the knights of old who made it their business to rescue ladies in distress. He was driving a late model car from Alberta and was stopped at the traffic lights waiting for the signal to change,. An elderly woman ambled around the corner by the bank, She was wearing a large hat — the wind was blowing, a com- bination that couldn't help but spell trouble, You guessed if . The wind pulled her hat off, sending it down the street . The hat came dangerously close to getting crushed by several cars while the lady stood by helplessly watching. Enter our hero. He rushed out. of his car, dashed down the street, captured the hat, returned it to the woman, accepted a few words of thanks and was back in his car before the light changed . Who says the age of chivalry is dead? Business booming Last week this column told of three Sherwood Crescent boys Advocate Established 18131 You can't touch it, taste it, smell weigh or measure it. You can'l peer through someone's navel and shout`Tallyho! There it is! Your spirit!" From the beginnings of thought, our great writers and thinkers have explored the human creature in an effort to pin down this elusive thing. ng1.071MMMICAl Arnalgornot4d 1024 We were pleasantly surprised with the change in Aunt Sarah. She had become, in six weeks' treatment, the cheerful, get-up- and-go girl Uncle Jim had fallen in lOve with over forty years agog , It was "the team approach" which had wrought this miracle, it was explained. Kindly un- derstanding nurses, trained to help grieving people, had befriended her and gently en- couraged her to take a renewed interest in her appearance, and in other people. On the Huron-Perth unit Aunt Sarah met people from home, both on the staff, and among the patients. Part of the team was a hand- some psychologist who gave Aunt Sarah relaxation therapy. For some reason, although she ap- pears perfectly relaxed, she wants to return to the hospital for more. Medication prescribed by the psychiatrist, played a big part in Aunt Sarah's road back to health. These pills will be gradually discontinued over a period of months. In occupational therapy Aunt Sarah was tested to see if she could possibly ever be at home in a kitchen again. They made a game of it, starting with sand- wiches, and winding up with a casserole meal. The result, the doctor assured us, will be that our aunt will now cook for herself and her friends and enjoy it. She had lost confidence in her culinary abilities over the years, because of Uncle Jim's over- solid tousness lierphysical health had been checked into, a thing Aunt Sarah wouldn't permit her family doctor to do. She had been slightly anemic, causing her to be always tired, but this condition had been remedied. After our relation's return home, she will receive periodic visits from a public health nurse in her community, This is a continuation of her hospital treatment and in no way an in- vasion of privacy, since she herself requested it. The com- munity public health nurse will be aware of Aunt Sarah's problems before she went to the London Psychiatric Hospital. We celebrated Mental Health Week by getting a brand new Aunt and we are as pleased with the results as Aunt Sarah. Albert Schweitzer, the great doctor, humanitarian and theologian coined the phrase above, It came to mind when we were visiting the London Psychiatric, Hospital during. Mental Health Week. Actually the occasion for our visit to the London Psychiatric Hospital was personal, and just happened to co-incide with that hospital's week-long "Open House." An aunt of ours, recently widowed, was depressed to the point of being uninterested in cooking for herself, slept seldom, and then only fitfully, and was inclined to bouts of silent weeping the kind where the sufferer merely sits numbly, tears streaming from the eyes, and she all unaware of the process. Our good family doctor tried anti-depressants, and long concerned talks with her, to no avail. Finally he recommended the London Psychiatric Hospital. Our aunt who had read "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" — she was too depressed to see the movie — mentioned the book to the doctor, and summoned up enough stamina to protest feebly being sent "to a place like that," We were elected to take her there. We should say a word or two about Aunt Sarah. She was no ordinary widow. She had lost not only a husband, but also a slave. For years Aunt Sarah had en- joyed poor health and Uncle Jim had waited on her, cooked for her, read to her, taken her on trips, and generally showed devotion above and beyond the most rigid ideals of marital duty. His devotion to the cause of Aunt Sarah killed him. Hence Aunt Sarah suffered from a bit of guilt and a great deal of self pity. Who the blazes would cater to the old girl now? London Psychiatric Hospital is divided into geographic units of which the newest is the Huron- Perth Unit. It was here that we had taken a tearful Aunt Sarah, in early April. Now the doctor on the unit was advising us that Aunt Sarah was ready to go home, and we won- dered if our dear relation could actually be ready to start living on her own. rZiniesAinsocate SERVING CANADA'S BEST PARMLAIVD 0.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC Published by J. W. eetty Publications limited Editor — Jim Beckett — Advertising Manager Assistant Editor — Leigh Robinson Plant Manager — Jim Scoff Composition Manager — Dave Worby Business Manager-- Dick Jongkrnd Phone 235.1331 We sure have plenty of dogs right here using the schootyard and our yards, without all this extra. I think signs should be put up "No dogs allowed", or bring your paper bag and little 'shovel, and keep our grounds clean, Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Crass Mail Registration Number 0386 Some philosophers have believed they had put their finger on the slippery little devil only to find that it has squirted away. Clerics are more apt to call it the soul. Psychologists pin nasty names like id and ego and libido on various aspects of it. Writers give examples of it. Artists try to depict its highest aspirations. The human spirit exists in all of us. It, along with the power to reason, is what raises us above the level of the .beastt. Its presence is allied to all that is good and great in human kind: loyalty, integrity, 'compassion, honor, courage, dignity. Its absence represents all that is bad in the human race: greed, — Please turn to Page 5 Paid is Advance Circulation Sepfernber 30,1975 5,420 SUBSCRIPTION RATES; Canada $9.00 Per Year; USA $11.00 near Editor: Seeing as the campers are coming for the long Week holiday, I am greatly concerned about the school ground, If like other years a great many bring dogs; then they take them to walk in the school yard. So of course it becomes the "bathroom" for them, Then that Li what the Children have to play in when they go back to school! testants at Huron County Junior Farmers Livestock Judging Competition in Seaforth Satur- day. Maxine Reeder has suc- cessfully completed the senior singing examination of the University of Western Ontario. Lake Casino at Grand Bend opens for its 40th season. It has been managed by the present owner, Eric McIlroy for the past 19 years. Mayor R. E. Pooley announced this week the town has an option to buy 100 acres of land in Hay swamp for $2500 to be used as a dump. . 10 Years Ago William McComb of RR 3 Lucan was the winner of the $35.00 subscription draw at the Times-Advocate Saturday af- ternoon. Council has been told that they must make sure employees working on road projects with a value of over $35,000 get union wages. This was a ruling from the Department of Highways, Council voted to donate $100 toward installing lights at the ball diamond in the community park. Reeve Derry Boyle brought the request to touneil from the light committee. Workmen started constructing a new road into the park at the Morrison Dam this week. The road will allow cars to drive into the picnic' area and should alleviate to a great extent a parking problem in this area noted dultirig the summer months. Rev,C. A. Doyle, pastor of St. Boniface'S Chtirch, Zurich and a native of Mount Carmel, has ahnouriceci his decision to retire to his congregation, 25 Years Ago A 22-year-old by-law making transient traders pay a $100 license fee, will be enforced in the township of Hay. "Open Rouse" was held Thursday night for parents and friends at the South Huron District High School, Some 500 people attended "KroSs Road Kapers" the western stage show presented by Dashwood Men's Club in the high school Friday and Saturday nights. The youthfuyl voices of public school children delighted a large audience at Thames Road United Church when Usborne Towtishp schools presented their annual concert, 20 Years Ago Murray Dawson, 20, of RR 1 Renaall, topped 265 other On- • A Collocated Citizen Mrs. M. Grainger